Food-chopper.



No. 697366. Patented Apr. 5, 1902.

H. K. woon.

FUDD CHOPPEB.

(Application filed Nov. 14. 1901.)

(No Model.)

, 'ami rren TATES A'rhNT FFICE.

IIUBERT K. WOOD, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE WINDSOR HARDWARE MANUFACTURING COR- PORATION, OFIIARTFORD, CONNECTIOUT, A OORPORATION OF CON- NE CTICUT.

FOOD-C'HOPPER.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patenta No. 697,'766, dated April15, 1902. Application filed November i, 1901. Serial Ne. 82,223. (Nomodel.)

TO (til whom it 'trt concern:

Be it known that I, HUBERT KWVOOD, a citizen of the United States,residin g at Hartford, in the county of I-Iartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFood-Choppers, of which the following is specification.

My invention relates to what are known to the trade as food-choppers, ormachines in which food of various kinds may be reduced to minutefragments for domestic and other uses. Heretofore in this class ofmachines trouble has been caused by the massing or acoumulation of thefood andby the jamming of the same in front of the forcer and againstthe stationary cutter, requiring considerable exercise of power toactuate the forcer and cause the machine to accomplish its purpose. Myinvention is intended to remedy the defects in these old styles ofmachines, and has for its object the provision of a stationarycutting-plate having passages of such form that ample clearance isprovided for the food and all liability of the accumulation of the samewithin the casing and its mashing by the forcer are obviated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a grid orstationary cutter-plate having a series of arms connecting its hub perinvolving my invention, with the forcer in elevation. Fig. 2 is an endview of said chopper, the shaft being in section. Fig. 3 is an end Viewof one form of forcer that may be employed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of thecase with the Getting-plate or grid in section, one of the arms of thenovable cutter also being in section, said section being taken on linea: a; of Fig. 2.

Like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the nuneral 5 designates a casing, preferablyforned as a single casting and provided on its inner surface with spiralribs 6, which eoperate with the ribs 7' of a forcer 7 in cutting thefoodfor instance, meat-which is fed to the casing through the hopper 5',and the numeral 8 designates a stationary cutter or grid having arms orspokes 8' of inwardly-beveled or wedge shape, as at 9 in Fig. 4, therebyproducing a flaring or bell-mouthed opening, through which the meat orother material is forced by the forcer 7. The end convolutions 7 of saidforcer are made fiat or slightly rounded on their outer surfaces, as at7 and these surfaces are diametrically opposed and do not act in theslighest degree as cutting instrumentalities, the mass in front of saidforcer being driven by said flat or rounded surface-s '7 against thesharp ends 8 of the arms 8'. Heretofore these arms 8' have hadcomparatively broad surfaces on their ends adjacent to the end of theforcer and the material has had a tendency to elog or jam be tween saidsurfaces and said forcer; but by constructing the arms in the mannerdescribed all liability of clogging is avoided and the sharp ends 8 ofthe arms sever the meat or other material as it is driven against themby the forcer and enable it readily to enter the fiaring space betweensaid arms.

The grid or plate 8 is shown formed as an integral part of the casing;but it Will readily be understood that it may be made separate therefromand secured thei-eto in any ap proved manner desired. At its rear endthe forcer is provided with a circulardisk'or plate 7 which fits in anopening in the end of the casing and serves as a means for supportingand steadying said forcer. At its forward end the forcer is providedwith a journal 10, fitted in a hearing of the grid or stationarycutting-plate, and this journal is equipped with laterally-extendinglugs 12, which fit into slots 13' of the movable cutter 14, and it isalso extended at 15 and is threaded on such extension to receive a nut16, having thunb or wing pieces 16' for clamping the movablecutter-plate to the end of the forcer. Secured to an extension of theforcer is a handle 17 for turning the same, and depending from thecasing 5 is a standard 18, which will be equipped in practice with usualmeans for scuring the machine to a table or other support. The arms orspokes 14' of the movable cutter shear the material fed through theopenings in the stationary cutter against the outer sharp edgcs of saidcutter with a clean' cnt, and by providing this-stationary cutter withthe beveled arms or spokes described free' clearance'is given to thefood and all danger of cloggng is entirely obviated.

The invention is not limited to the specific kind of forcer illustratedand described, for other forms of this device may be enployed withoutdeparture therefrom; nor is it limited to a grid or cutter-plate form edas an integral part of said casing. So, too, the mode of arrangement ofthe arms or spokes of the stationary plate and of the cutting-arms ofthe rotary cutter may be Varied from the construction illustrated. Inother Words, said arms or spokes maybe radially instead of tangentiallydisposed, as shown, without departure from the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In afood-chopper, the combination, with a casing, of a stationarycntter having inwardly-fiaring walls each having a cutting edge; a screwforcer a convolution of which termnates in a blunt surface, said surfaceserving to force the food against the inner cutting edges of thestationary cutter; and a rotary cutter coperating with exteriorcutting-surfaces of said stationary cutter.

2. In a food-Chopper, the combination, with a casing, of a screw forcer,two of the convolutions of which terminate in blunt surfaces; astationarycutter-plate having inwardly-inclined arms against the innersharp ends of which the food is forced by the non-cutting end surfacesof the forcer; a rotary cutter; and means for securing said rotarycutter to the forcer.

3. In a food-Chopper, the combination, with a casing, of a screw forcerjournaled for rotation within said casing, and having its convolutionsterminating in diametrically opposed, flat or rounded surfaces; astationary cutter-plate or grid at the end of the casing and havinginwardly-fiaring passages, the walls of which have cutting edges attheir inner ends, for the delivery of the food; and a cutter carried bythe forcer and movable therewith and adapted to sever the food againstthe outer cutting-surfaces of said stationary cutter.

In testimony Whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUBERT K. VVOOD.

Wtnesses:

FRANcEs E. BLODGETT, Mosns O. J OHNSON.

